Stay well in pregnancy
Here you will find advice on how to take care of yourself and your baby throughout your pregnancy.
Antenatal care
You must book an appointment with your local midwifery team as soon as you know you're pregnant.
A range of support is available. You will have several appointments with a midwife during your pregnancy.
You may also see a doctor who specialises in pregnancy and birth.
More information is available on Medway Hospital's antenatal page.
Look after your mental health
If you're experiencing poor mental health or have a mental health condition, seek advice from your GP or psychiatrist. They will talk to you about:
- your medication
- the impact of being pregnant on your mental health
- the effect your mental health may have on your pregnancy
- the support you can expect.
Find contact information for maternity mental health services.
Specialist midwives
The specialist midwives for mental health can provide advice and support to women throughout the antenatal and the postnatal period.
They are able to refer you (if appropriate) to more specialist secondary mental health services, such as:
- Community Mental Health
- Mother and Infant Mental Health Service (MIMHS).
They will also advise you of primary care services available to you in the local area, such as Medway Talking therapies.
To contact the specialist midwives, you can:
- email medwayft.mentalhealthmidwives@nhs.net
- call 01634 825 114 or 07825 781 625.
Check your vaccinations are up to date
Some vaccinations are recommended in pregnancy such as the flu vaccine but some are not recommended such as BCG (vaccination against tuberculosis).
If you are unsure about which vaccinations you have had, you can contact your GP for your vaccination record.
To find out more about which vaccinations are safe in pregnancy, you can visit the NHS vaccinations in pregnancy page.
Cut out alcohol
Many women ask how much is safe to drink during pregnancy. The safest approach is not to drink at all.
Find out more about drinking alcohol while pregnant and getting help to stop on the NHS website.
Quit smoking
Giving up smoking is one of the most important things you can do to improve your baby’s health, growth and development, as well as your long-term health.
A new midwife-led programme called Quit for Two is now available at all main hospitals in Kent and Medway.
Find out more about Quit for Two.
Look after your teeth
Visiting the dentist is free under the NHS if you're pregnant and until your baby is 12 months old.
Find out more about how to look after
Attend antenatal classes
BumpClub
BumpClub Medway is a 6-week programme for pregnant people and their partners who want to learn about eating right and staying active during pregnancy and beyond.
Infant feeding
Feeding support is available in Medway through our support service, Beside You.
If you're pregnant, you can attend a free Hello Baby session with a peer supporter to find out more about:
- responsive feeding
- feeding cues
- what’s in a nappy
- lots more.
To book a Hello Baby session email medch.mbn@nhs.net or text or call 07791 043 190.
BesideYou also helps mums breastfeeding with groups and support from health professionals.
Learn more on the Beside You Medway website.
Parenthood course
The Medway NHS Trust runs a Welcome to Parenthood course to support you through your journey of being a parent.
The course includes 4 sessions taught by a multidisciplinary team, including Health Visitors, Midwives, and Maternity Support Workers.
Find out more about Welcome to Parenthood and book online.
Postnatal care
Our team of experienced midwives and health visitors are on hand to support you after you give birth.
More information is available on the Medway Hospital’s postnatal page and Medway Community Healthcare's health visiting services.